Let
an apostle say it for us: "All that is in the world, the lust of the
flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the
Father,
but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust
thereof:
but he that doeth the will of God abideth for
ever"
-
- 1 John 2:16, 17

This is the world by which we may test the spirits. It is
the world of carnal enjoyments, of godless
pleasures, of the pursuit of earthly riches and reputation and sinful happiness.
It carries on without Christ, following the counsel of the ungodly and
being animated by the prince of the power of the air, the spirit thatworks in the children
of disobedience (Eph. 2:2).

Its religion is a form of godliness, without power, which has a name to
live but is dead. It is, in short, unregenerate human society romping on
its way to hell, the exact opposite of the true Church of God, which is
a society of regenerate souls going soberly but joyfully on
their way to heaven.

Any real work of God in our heart will tend to unfit us for the world's
fellowship. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.
If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John
2:15). "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship
hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light
with darkness?" (2 Cor. 6:14).

It may be stated unequivocally that any spirit that permits compromise
with the world is a false spirit. Any religious movement that imitates
the world in any of its manifestations is false to the cross of Christ
and on the side of the devil and thisregardless of how
much purring its leaders may do about "accepting Christ" or "letting God
run your business."